Browns rule out tackles Jedrick Wills Jr., Jack Conklin, tight end David Njoku vs. Raiders

BEREA — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski won't tip his hand in terms of who will start at left tackle Sunday at the Las Vegas Raiders. However, it's easy to read the tea leaves to see the general direction it's heading.

Stefanski officially ruled out tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and Jack Conklin (hamstring) for the game while on a pre-practice Zoom call Friday. He also said that neither tight end David Njoku (ankle) nor running back Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring) would play against the Raiders.

"I think you have to get through Friday practice for sure," Stefanski said. "But I know we have options. There's things that we can do based on who's available. So I think that's the biggest thing — just understanding that you have to get through a full week of practice, see where you land and then make a determination from there."

None of four was on the field for Friday's practice before the team's afternoon departure for Las Vegas. However, defensive end Myles Garrett (thigh, foot, Achilles) and running back Jerome Ford (knee) both practiced again Friday after returning to the field the previous day.

Also big on the injury front for the Browns was the return of linebacker Jordan Hicks (ribs, elbow) to the practice field for the first time this week. Wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who was signed to the practice squad earlier in the month, also practiced for the first time since signing with Cleveland.

The official game injury designations released after practice Friday afternoon only had Hicks listed as questionable for Sunday. Garrett and Ford both had no designations.

"Good," Stefanski said of how Garrett and Ford made it through Thursday's practice. "So they'll practice today and then we'll make determinations. They look good."

The absence of both Wills and Conklin Sunday likely means it will be James Hudson III once again at left tackle. Hudson started at the position in each of the first two games before Wills came back last Sunday against the New York Giants.

Wills left that game in the third quarter when Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux rolled up on his right knee, on which he had arthroscopic surgery last December. The return from that surgery was what had kept him out the first two weeks.

The 2020 first-round pick had an MRI on the knee Monday, which returned clean. However, Stefanski would not say anything about any long-term prognosis for Wills.

Hudson also left the game in the third quarter with what he termed Thursday to the Beacon Journal as a "stinger." However, he practiced on a limited basis all week.

Hudson is one of three true tackles on the active roster, along with right tackle Dawand Jones and Germain Ifedi, who was signed from the practice squad on Wednesday. Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio played left tackle to finish out the Giants game after both Wills and Hudson departed.

Bitonio has only started two games in the NFL at left tackle, both in 2021. His first start was in a Week 15 home game against the Raiders.

"We're working through it, seeing how guys bounce back and stuff like that," Bitonio said. "So if I had to guess, I'd probably be at left guard, but you never know. We're working through it and we'll see what happens."

Conklin has been working back from a season-ending left knee injury suffered in last year's opener since returning to practice Aug. 27. However, this will be the fourth game in a row he'll miss, the last two due to a hamstring injury sustained late last week.

Assuming it is Hudson at left tackle and Bitonio at left guard, the Browns would be starting their third offensive line combination in four games since right guard Wyatt Teller was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday. Rookie Zak Zinter is seen as the likely candidate to replace Teller in the lineup, which is what he did when the injury occurred last Sunday.

Njoku was injured with just under 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter of a season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He sustained the injury when he was tackled by the Cowboys' Erik Kendricks and Malik Hooker after a 29-yard gain.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

This is a developing story. Check back here for more updates.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns rule out tackles Jedrick Wills Jr., Jack Conklin, tight end David Njoku vs. Raiders